


such precious things

by reedyas



Series: oh what a world [2]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Family Feels, Fluff, Gen, Mental Health Issues, Mild Angst, Negative Self Talk, Recovery, Self-Esteem Issues, azula x therapy, no beta we die like lu ten
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-08
Updated: 2020-09-08
Packaged: 2021-03-07 07:28:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,268
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26349352
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/reedyas/pseuds/reedyas
Summary: in which azula spends time with her favorite niece.
Relationships: Azula & Izumi (Avatar), Azula & Sokka (Avatar), Azula & Zuko (Avatar), Sokka/Zuko (Avatar)
Series: oh what a world [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1980227
Comments: 10
Kudos: 265





	such precious things

Azula twirls the long lock of hair dangling from her forehead around her finger, the strands dark and taught around the digit. She drops it, the curl falling in humidity. It was another warm morning in the palace and everyone in the city anticipated another hot day under Agni’s light. Azula loves summertime, loves when the sun rises early and sets late, when the days are hot and the nights stay warm and inviting.

She sighs, puffing out her lips a bit and drumming her painted red nails on her vanity. Her journal in front of her lays open with the date scribbled in the top left corner. She picks up the quill and dips it in ink.

_Usual dreams last night. I’m feeling full of power, like I’ve conquered an army and climbed a mountain all at once. I feel energized, awake, alive, until I see lightening at my fingertips. I can’t control it. Then, Zuko’s in front of me. Behind him is Izumi, her eyes wide in fear as I –_

She drops the quill. Takes a shuddering breath. She tries not to think too hard about these dreams without Nurse Niko’s warm, stoic presence next to her.

She hated the old bat at first, with her stupid questions and annoying clicks of her tongue. She hated the way Nurse Niko would sniffle and use her thumb to push her eyeglasses up the bridge of her nose. Most of all, Azula hated that she felt like she could tell her anything and she wouldn’t bat an eye.

But, since leaving the hospital and moving back into the palace, one of Zuko’s rules for her stay was to keep up the regiment the doctors prescribed her in the hospital. And that included seeing Nurse Niko every other day. She did not want to go back to the hospital after five long years, so she resigned to deal with it.

Adjusting to life back in the palace was a struggle at first. Azula was shocked to see servants milling about with a pep in their step and smiles on their faces, instead of scurrying from corner to corner like rats. She did not know why she wasn’t more surprised that Zuko had turned out to be a decent Fire Lord. She was taught her whole life that people needed to be ruled with an iron fist, that it was better to be feared than loved. Zuko didn’t rule that way, and things seemed to be prospering for him. Now, almost ten years into his reign, reconstruction across the Earth Kingdom and Southern Water Tribe was thriving and the Fire Nation was prospering economically and politically.

He had even found himself a _husband,_ one of the kids he used to chase around. Sokka was his name, and while they originally met under unpleasant circumstances, he was able to tolerate her in a way she could not believe. Azula wouldn’t go so far as to call them friends, but she was more than happy to lend an ear while he vented about rude councilmen and women. Despite their history, he was kind and was willing to share something so precious with her.

Speaking of something precious…

“Auntie Zula!” Her bedroom door cracks open and a toddler with wild black hair and a baby tooth smile barreled in. Izumi was by far her favorite person in the palace. “Wake up!” She demands, her first wrapped around the paw of a stuffed platypus bear while its body dragged on the floor.

“I’m up, silly girl.” Azula picks up the toddler and sits her on her lap, brushing the loose locks of soft black hair from her round, chubby face.

“Sorry about that,” a male voice calls from her antechamber. Sokka peeks cautiously into her room. “Her tutor is out sick, I have meetings until at least noon, and Zuko and I wondered if you could watch her?”

Azula bites back a smile. “I suppose,” she sighs dramatically, laughing when Izumi lightly pats her face. “I guess I could entertain the princess for a little while.”

“Fantastic. The guards will be right outside in case you need anything or there’s an emergency –“

“Yes, yes. I know the drill.” She pauses and takes a deep breath. She doesn’t have to be reminded of how delicate this trust is. She understands this is a privilege, not a right. She looks up from her niece’s face and meets her brother-in-law’s eyes. “Thank you, Sokka. I promise to ask for help if I need it. In the meantime, we shall see you at lunch.” Azula knows he doesn’t trust her completely. She knows he makes the effort for Zuko and Zuko only. She knows she’s sick in the head but she’s not stupid.

He nods, smiles tightly, and blows his daughter a kiss. “I’ll see you soon, sweetheart.”

“Bye bye Dada!” Izumi waves a chubby arm as he closes the bedroom door behind him. She squiggles in Azula’s lap and bangs her hands on the vanity, looking intently in the mirror.

“What kind of trouble shall we get into today, my little princess?” Azula hums, combing her fingers through her niece’s dark locks. She doesn’t know how she got this lucky, how Zuko was able to find it in himself to bring her back into his life and treat her with the kindness he does. However, she does know to not take precious things like Izumi for granted. She sighs and places a kiss on the crown of her head. “How about I do our hair, and we go for a walk? We can go see the turtleducks.”

Izumi gasps and begins to babble semi incoherently. Azula grins and nods along, concentrating on her niece’s sweet voice and the soft hair between her fingers.

…

Two braids with matching red ribbons, a visit to the turtleduck pond, an angry turtleduck mama, five tins of paint and three toddler finger paintings later, it’s finally lunchtime. Azula is exhausted. Both Izumi and the tile floor are covered in red and yellow watercolor paint. She’s positive she has some on her face as well. Only Yui, one of her guards, was spared from the watercolor bomb, as she had been tasked with cleaning up after Izumi’s every move.

Azula and Yui are hanging up Izumi’s paintings to dry when Zuko enters her suite.

“Oh no.” Zuko chuckles, glancing at the mess. “What happened here?”

“Papa!” Izumi squeals and waddles into his arms. After picking her up, he presses three quick kisses onto his daughter’s temple.

“It’s called the artistic process, Zuzu. I wouldn’t expect you to understand.” Azula sighs, flopping on one of her couches with a dramatic flair. “Sorry she got so messy. The paints are watercolors so they should wash off easily.”

“It’s fine,” he says, wincing as Izumi pulls a hair free from his topknot. “Looks like you two had fun.”

“She’s a curious little thing, I’ll give her that.”

Zuko smirks and walks over to the drying paintings with Izumi on his hip. “A couple new priceless pieces by Princess Izumi… I’m sure Dada will love them.”

Azula smiles and exhales a deep breath. Soon, Sokka will join them for lunch and Izumi will go back to their chambers for a nap. Nurse Niko will come and listen to Azula for the second time this week. Azula will work on her own paintings and then the sun will set. However, at this point in time, Azula refuses to think too much about the future. All she cares about is her family in front of her. And that’s enough.

**Author's Note:**

> thank you for reading! i hope this brings a small joy in these crazy awful times.
> 
> there is a prequel and a sequel in the works so maybe... stay tuned?


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